Sheet piling



March 8, 1927. 1,620,137

F. SIMON SHEET FILING Filed Sept. 15. 1924 fieo L. Simon Patented Mar. 8, 1927.

UNITED S FRED L. SIM N, 0F BALTIMORE; MARYLAND.

SHEET FILING.

Application filed September 15, 1924. Serial No. 737,896.

My invention relates to sheet pilin Among the objects of myinv'ention are To provide a sheet piling comprising interlocking members on the edges thereof so 5 constructed and arranged that a reasonable degree of flexibility is afforded with adjoining piling and the driving operation necessary for connecting the piling unlts and the separation of said units is easily effected.

To provide an interlocking sheet piling which is tree from sharp, exposed edges in the interlock, said inlerloci'z being formed by a continuation of the web joining the interlocking edges.

To provide a sheet piling conu'irising in terlocking members on the edges thereof so constructed and arrui'lged that the water tightness oi a wall formed of said piling is greatly increased.

To provide an interlocking sheet piling capable of forming a bracedwall so constructed and arranged that only alternate piling contact with the supporting walingstrip, said piling presenting flat surfaces F to said strip.

To provide a sheet piling comprising in terlocking edges having a larger number of lines of contact than piling nowin use and which is simple in sectional outline, strong, durable and capable of being rolled in the usual way.

My improved piling is an integral unit and is particularly adapted for forming retaining walls, dams and structures of a similar nature, the securing of successive piling; units being achieved without fabrication. The interlock consists of enlarged, rounded ed' 'es on both edges of the piling section, the axis of the rounded edges being substantially at right a'ngles to the neutral aXi's of the section. This positioning of the rounded edges forms a recess :tor the endwise reception of, the rounded edge on the adjoining piling and the shaping of each r cess is such that two lines of contact are obtained therein with the rounded edge of the adjoining piling, or a total of four line contacts for the entire interlock.

The increased number of lines of contact in the interlock over piling now in use, and their wedge shaped relation hereinafter described, together' with the manner of forming a wall of my improved piling, in which alternate pilin'gs only bear against the supporting walin'g strip and the intervening pilings are suspended in the interlocks against the pressure of the retained material, insures a marked improvement in the nonl'eakage characteristic of the wall. This featureis enhanced by the shape of the sections adjacent the interlocl': which causes the water seeking egress therethrough, when the piling is first constructed to be subjected to a venturi-like action, thereby increasing its velocity and facilitating its carriage of mud, sand or cinders into the interlock for sealing purposes.

Sufiicient clearance is provided in the interlock to insure a reasonable degree of fiexibility :l'ior adjoining piling units, permitting their deviation to clear obstacles, the construction of circular dams and like purposes. Moreover, the absence of sharp, exposed edges in the interlock renders my improved piling highly resistant to the abuses of handling and driving thereby increasing its useful lite. The metal in. the section is elliciently disposed relative to the neutral axis to obtain a high strength value for a minimum weight, my improved piling in these respects comparing favorably with any of the sheetpiling now on the market.

These and further objects of my invention are set out in. the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and the novel means by which said objects are eil'ectuated are definitely pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:Figure l is a perspective view of a portion of a wall composed oi units of my improved sheet piling;

Fig. '2 is a plan view of a wall as shown in Fig, 1 showing the normal clearances which are provided in the interlocks.

Fig. 3 isan enlarged View of a portion of a Wall shown in Fig. "2 illustrating the relation of the piling units to each other and to a 'waling strip when undergoing lateral pressure.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a portion oftwo; interlocked pilings showing their relation under a condition of tensionin the interlock.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of wall showing the flexibility of my improved piling units in permitting deviations from the line of the wall; and also, two methods of forming corners.

In the drawings p The section of my improved sheet piling presents the general appearance or an arch terminating in hooks with enlarged, rounded edges and comprises the central, fiat web 10 which is rolled at its ends to form the abruptly curved sides 1111 of the arch, said web being disposed on one side of the neutral axis 10. The sides 11-11 are rolled in opposite directions to each other at a predetermined distance from the web 10 to form the heels 1212, the faces 13-13 of which are parallel to the face of said web. The heels 1212 are the portions of my piling which bear against the supporting structure. The width of said heels, there fore, is such that the unit pressure upon said structure will be kept Within safe working limits.

After the required width of heel has been obtained, the material comprising the piling is first rolled backward from the faces 1313, but away from the sides 1111, then substantially at right angles to the faces 1313 to form the arms 1 l14, and the edges of the material are enlarged and rounded as at 15-15. The enlarging and rounding of the edges 15-15. in addition to serving a purpose hereinafter explained,

protects the piling at a very sensitive point and renders the same extremely resistant to distortions and local indentations during the handling anddriving operations. The possible number of re-uses of the piling is, therefore, greatly increased.

The elements 11, 12, 14 and 15 on each side of the piling form the recess 16 which is provided for the endwise reception of the rounded edge 15 on the adjoining piling. Said elements, therefore, comprise the interlock for each edge of the piling and it can be seen that the same is a continuation of the curvature of the web 10. In other words, the interlock is not a. separate component of the piling section, but an entity therewith and achieved by the peculiar and continuous curvature of the web 10.

The piling section is thickened as at 16 17 18 and 19 in order to provide the neces sary strength at these points for the transmission of stresses from the webs 10 to and through the interlock onto the waling strip 20 (see Fig. 3), or in resisting tension in the interlock (see Fig. 4). The profile of the recess 16 is substantially three sides of a trapezoid for a purpose hereinafter explained and comprises the base 21, which is inclined to the horizontal when viewed as in the drawings, and the sides 22 and 23. The space relation of the elements 21, 22 and 23 is such as to provide ample clear ance for the endwise reception of the edge 15 of an adjoining piling unit and a reasonable degree of flexibility, but the distance apart of the sides 22 and 23 at the opening 24 of the recess 16 is less than the width of said edge. The interlock, therefore, can be broken only by the endwise withdrawing of one piling unit.

The purpose of the trapezoid profile of of the piling 25.

the recess 16 may be understood by referen?e to Fig. 3, in which a wall constructed of my improved piling is supported by the waling strip 20. In building such a Wall, the pilings are arranged alternately as shown in the drawings and the faces 1313 of alternate pilings only, as 25, bear against the strip 20, by reason of the fact that when assembled, the distance between the faces 13 in any interlock is greater than the distance between one face 13 and the outer face of the corresponding web 10. Therefore, the webs 10 of intervening pilings, as 26, stand free from the strip 20 and said piling is suspended in the interlock against the pressure of the retained material.

Assuming in Fig. 3 that said pressure is acting in the direction of the arrow 27, then that portion of said'pressure which acts on the piling 25 will be transmitted directly to the strip 20 by the faces 13-43, but the pressure acting on the piling 26 will be transmitted through the interlock to said strip. This latter pressure moves the piling 26 in the direction of the arrow 27 until each edge 15 thereof contacts with the elements 21 and 22 forming part of the profile of the recess 16 in the piling 25. Said movement of the piling 26 also causes the elements 21 and 22 thereof to contact with each edge 15 Four lines of contact, 28, 29, 30 and 31 are, therefore, obtained and due to the angular relation of the elements 21 and 22 a. wedging action occurs in con junction with the edges 15 which increases the water-tightness of the wall, as the greater the pressure acting on the piling 26, the more effective will be the contact of said edges with said elements, in accordance with the well known principle of the wedge.

It is also to be noted that by reason of the spacing of the side 11 and the arm 14, a throat 32 is formed, which on the retaining side of the wall will exert a venturi-like ac-- tion on water seeking egress through the interlock when the wall is first formed, increasing its velocity and greatly facilitating the movement into the interlock of such materials as may be desired for assisting the sealing of the same.

Fig. 1 illustrates the appearance of the interlock when the pilings are subjected to straight tensional stresses. In such a case, two line contacts 33 and 34, respectively, and one surface contact 35 are obtained and as in the situation illustrated in Fig. 3, a wedg' ing action occurs due to the angular relation of the elements 21 and 23.

Fig. 5 shows a portion of a. wall construeted of my improved piling, illustrating the flexibility thereof in permitting deviations from a straight line and two methods of forming corners. One of the latter is through the use of a single piling 36 which is rolled so that the axes of the interlocks lie at right angles to each other and the other is the fabricated corner formed of two halFsections of piling 37 and 38, respectively, secured together in any approved manner.

My invention, therefore, provides a means whereby, not only a larger number of contacts is obtained in the interlock, but also a more effective contact therein with a consequent decrease in the leakage through the wall. Both of these advantages are secured without sacrificing: the strength per unitweight iactor of the piling. Moreover, my improved piling possesses the advantages discussed hereinbeiore, relative to the interlock being formed by a continuation of the web, the absence of sharp edges in the interlock and the method of constructing a wall in which alternate pilings bear against the waling strip and intervening pilings are suspended in the interlocks.

lVhile I have shown one preferred form of my improved sheet piling, it is to be understood that this is for: purposes of illustration only and in nowise to limit its scope, for many changes may be made in my invention without departing from the spirit thereof.

I claim 1. A Wall of sheet piling composed of interlocking units of said piling, alternate pilings being adapted to contact with a bracing member for said wall, the interlock consisting oi? a recess and a rounded edge for each piling with the edge of one piling coacting with the recess of an adjoinin piling and each recess being shaped to efiect two lines of contact with its coacting edge when said wall is subjected to lateral pressure, thereby securing four lines of contact in the interlock.

2. A wall of sheet piling composed of interlocking units of said piling, the interlock consisting of a recess and a rounded edge for each piling with the edge of one piling co -acting with the recess of an adjoin ing piling, and said recess and edges being sides permitting the angular positioning of adjoining pilings while maintaining line contacts in the interlock.

4. A wall of sheet piling composed of interlocking units oi? said piling, the interlock consisting of a recess and a rounded edge for each piling, said recess being composed of three surfaces arranged rela tive to each other like three sides of a trapezoid toreii'ecting a plurality of lines of contact with the rounded edge of an adjoining piling and the space relationof said surfaces permitting the angular positioning of adjoining pilings while maintaining line contacts in the interlock.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

FRED L. SIMON. 

